Disclaimer: Last time I check (which is about 5 seconds ago), still not mine.

A pat on the back to Talye Kendrin for helping me with the grammar and spellings. Please check out her profile and support this fandom.

Characters: Izana Wistalia, Shirayuki

Pairing: Possible one-sided Izana

Wordcount: 826

Rating: General, Romance

Timeline: Between Chapter 41 and Chapter 49

Quotes: "Perfume is magic. It's mystery. We recreate the smell of a flower. Of wood. Of grass. We capture the essence of life. Liquefy it. We store memories. We make dreams," he told her once. "What we do is a wonder, an art, and we have a responsibility to do it well."
― M.J. Rose, Seduction

"Well?"

His forehead knotted in confusion. "Well what?"

"How was it? Did it smell good?"

"I…" He was at a loss for words. From somewhere far away, the deep and dense forests of Rad and Sui beckoned at him. "It smelled… okay…"

His tone didn't sound convincing even to his own ears.

Shirayuki raised both of her eyebrows. "Just okay?"

He nodded vigorously. "Just okay." He didn't know what to make of her scent. It smelled intoxicating and powerful enough to muddle his senses. He would pass judgment once he smelled it again or studied her other creations.

She frowned. "I was aiming for tranquility with this scent; something clean and soothing. I even thought of making scented wax candles with this and distributing it in the wards." She looked thoughtful at this, a distracted expression etched on her face.

"The wards?" he was puzzled by her idea. He began to lift her wrist near his nose again but she hinged.

For the second time, she pulled away from his hold and Izana found himself gripping nothing but air. He gritted his teeth slightly. He has not finished smelling the scent yet!

"The patients we care for are under much stress and lack energy in the recuperating wards. I find that most of them worry about their family, their livelihoods and other important matters close to their heart; it detriments their ability to heal faster. With scents I created, it would help soothe their nerves and stabilize their emotions, which would in turn, encourage the body to release hormones that would aid their healing and recovery. I truly believe that conditioning the mind and soul is as much important as making a person healthy physically. They can absorb and digest nutritional foods and medicines better. You know, like plants themselves; they can almost feel they are outside and enjoying the fresh air and sun, even if they are still bedridden and unable to stand and move."

Distracted by her speech, he blinked twice, digesting her revolutionary theory. Scents to calm the mind and soul. Wasn't it that elders often advised younger people to seek out places of calmness and solitude so that they wouldn't feel stressed about pressing issues; that they tended to formulate their best decisions when they were relaxed and happy?

And the same condition applied to him when he was back at his castle between Rid and Sui, hunting for game in the rich forest, drinking water from the crystal clear stream and resting his feet on the soft carpet grass while he basked in the smell of all the leaves and plants. His best decisions were decided when he was most relaxed and he could view things from different perspectives.

If she could create soothing scents, could she evoke other feelings and emotions like giddiness, excitement, anxiety, or maybe even love?

Still deep in thought, he barely registered when she began to rub her uninjured arm clean with a towel.

Curious by her actions he spoke his thoughts aloud.

She looked at him strangely. "Of course."

"Of course what?" he parroted.

Folding the sleeves of her lab coat, she gave him a somewhat withering stare. "Your highness, what do you wish to see? What do you wish to feel?"

He raised his eyebrows, perplexed. "What I want to see?"

She nodded.

He shrugged carelessly, somewhat arrogantly. "I don't know. Surprise me." He'd rather not say anything that might get her wondering. No one knows what Prince Izana thinks, not even his own brother, Zen Wistalia.

Her lips tugged into a slow smile that evoked some mysterious feeling in his chest. He felt it bloomed into something; a flower opening up in the sun.

Shirayuki stood in front of him, basking in the sunlight streaming from the windows of her room. Her hair took on a fiery red glow, making her eyes look greener than usual.

Without further ado, she uncorked several bottles from the tier of scents she was keeping.

Using clean droppers from another silver tray, she dipped it into the first of the bottles and let the scent be absorbed on the back of her other palm.

"Your Highness Izana. Are you sure about this? Scents are some of the most effective triggers of memories and emotions."

"Meaning?" He asked softly, gazing into her eyes, absorbing the transformation she presented before him. Shirayuki looked like a muse, about to bestow a boon on an artist.

"Some of my scents may cause unwanted emotions to surface, or long-forgotten memories best kept under wraps."

He felt his heart increased its beating tempo, felt the shiver and excitement skate down his spine. The nerves tingled at the back of his skull almost as if he was waiting for an epiphany after a journey, which his olfactory senses might trigger.

"Indulge me." His hand closed over her hand holding the liquid dropper. Enthrall me, seduce me, and imprison me with your power.

"Very well. Let us begin."